In a competitive job market, skills, relationships and preparation all matter. For Lucas Moe, the Information School’s associate director for career services, a connection with a local tech leader over volleyball led to a series of opportunities for iSchool students.
Career Services staff partnered with tech company Provn, which focuses on preparing students and applicants for AI-driven careers. To date, they have offered a series of three case studies — intensive workshops where students can practice their skills in a supportive environment. Hosted in October and November, the challenges built in intensity and offered students a chance to add projects to their portfolios and to improve their real-world job interviewing skills.
Students chose from challenge options such as “Creating an AI-Enhanced Product Roadmap” and “Competitive Analysis & Data Dashboards” to spark new ideas, build realistic business solutions, and hone their collaborative problem-solving abilities. Facilitators provided guidance to help participants refine their strategies before they presented their challenge submissions. End products could include a mock interface and a short written or video-recorded pitch.
Career Services Program Coordinator Kyle Raychel said the main function of the case study is to go through technical interview questions, giving participants a chance to practice real interviewing skills in a low-stakes, familiar setting on the University of Washington campus.
Abrevaa E. Prihutama, an Early-Career Accelerated MSIM student, attended the third and most challenging case study to seek a stronger foundation for her technical skills. “It was a really great experience to have a better sense of what these things look like, but also areas where I can improve in terms of my skills, or to find that I’m stronger in certain areas than I thought,” she said. Prihutama found the group setting to be useful because each of the students brought different backgrounds and experiences, which led to a better collaboration.
“It’s a dedicated time for me to apply my skills and create a project that I could speak about in interviews,” Prihutama said. She came away with project experience that will provide a tangible way to present what she’s learned in class as she seeks roles such as data analyst, business analyst and product manager. She also met with Career Services Advisor Lindsey Sullivan, who coached her on resume editing, hiring timelines, and shifting from a non-technical to a technical role.
Strategically leveraging connections and resources for the benefit of iSchool students is a priority for Career Services staff, as well as for the school’s iEngage partnerships and academic programs. Students benefit from these opportunities and training, as well as from the school’s alumni network.
“Networks, and optimizing networks, can bring out great opportunities,” Moe said. Shared membership in the volleyball community sparked a partnership with Provn CEO and co-founder , a leader in the Seattle tech startup scene, who remembered that Moe worked in higher education. The collaboration led to a student Capstone project through iEngage, as well as several guest lectures by leaders from Provn.
Events such as the case study challenges also help students determine what kinds of roles and companies they might want to pursue in their career searches, Raychel and Moe noted.
Along with technical and team project-oriented classes, Information School students also take complementary courses that help to prepare them for the next steps in their careers.
Kazuma Itagaki, a senior Informatics major who recently took INFO 386: Professionalism in Informatics with Moe, said, “This class has been an eye-opener for me in understanding the kind of person I am in a professional setting. INFO 386 helped me to take a step back and truly reflect on my preferences and aversions. How often are we given time to truly understand our style?”
Professional development and practical training sets students up for success in their careers and in their lives. “The insights you uncover about yourself,” Itagaki continued, “can shape not just how you work, but who you strive to become.”
If your company is interested in partnering with the Information School, please contact Career Services and iEngage.
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Pictured at top: From left, Liam Sheridan of Provn speaks with Informatics student Tong Wu, Career Services Program Coordinator Kyle Raychel and MSIM student Abrevaa E. Prihutama during a case study event at the HUB.